From karting novice to race car driver

Rain affects play – Rissington 1 Nov

With a shortened program due to torrential rain on Sunday morning, Sam salvaged a respectable Final result despite two frustratingly disappointing qualifying heats.

Seniors ran first in the wet - Jade's first Senior race

They said it would rain. Boy did it rain. Even the journey to the circuit on Sunday morning was an adventure so we were not surprised when racing was postponed from its normal start time around 0930. Whilst the officials drove the circuit (in cars!) to inspect the condition, the competitors held onto their awnings to stop the wind carrying them away. Eventually, at 1130 the announcement was made that proceedings would begin albeit with the seniors being first out (presumably to remove some of the standing water for the younger competitors). Due to the lost time, all classes were to be reduced to 2 heats and a final.

Heat 1

30 mins later and the track significantly drier - Sam mixed up with black plates

When racing started the track still looked too wet – but by the time the juniors went out the track had dried so much our setup and tyre choices were wrong! Bizarrely it didn’t rain again all day. Sam was drawn in P21 just in front of the novices, which included the newest member of DPRS, Jack Hughes. Following first corner chaos Sam survived but was significantly compromised and found himself mixing it with the novices as they approached the notorious dog-leg chicane.

The cone gets it - everyone takes avoiding action

“Someone in front hit the plastic cone in the centre of the track [ placed in the centre of the track for the rolling starts – Dad ] which then caused everyone following to swerve around it. As I was starting at the back I had to avoid the swerving karts and the pieces of cone. By then some of the novices had got past me so I knew I was nearly last“.

Sidepod showing signs of a novice attack!

Having just taken one position back approaching the dog-leg corner Sam was then torpedoed off the track and found himself in familiar territory – pointing in the wrong direction! Now in last position, the customary fight back ensued and despite another novice using Sam as a brake – he brought it home battered and bruised in a disappointing 22nd position.

Heat 2

Hanging onto the back of Danny-K at the end of lap 1

Hands up – the mechanic screwed up for heat 2. Caught out by the rapidly drying conditions Sam was sent out on wrong gearing for what was now a totally dry track. Drawn in P4 on row 2 Sam got off to a cracking start and after the second corner was hot on the heels of leader Danny K, and both left the chasing pack for dead. Sam did well to keep up with Super-1 competitor Danny for the first lap and a half, but suddenly started to slow significantly and we put it down to the wrong gearing.

Sam spots a gap on the inside line and slots in behind leader #7 Danny-K

“I couldn’t believe the start I got. I was on the outside line so expected a battle to get slotted into the inside line at the first corner. It can be dangerous on the outside line as you often get pushed onto the grass. But suddenly a gap was there behind the leader so I just followed him through the exit. I knew it was Danny-K so I tried hard to follow him and learn from his style [Danny is very experienced and racing at National level – Dad]. But after the first lap I knew something was wrong, I just couldnt get the revs or the acceleration out of the corners“.

Within one more lap the pack swallowed Sam up and he did well to survive the rest of the race and get home in 11th. Only after the race did we discover the whole rear axle had moved in its bearings, causing the brakes to bind quite significantly. No wonder he struggled for pace – mechanic truly in the dog house 😦

Final

With only 2 heats due to the rain, our qualifying position was based on those two disappointing results. From P17 (out of 28) on the grid we set ourselves a target of top 10 and got off to a cracking start, finishing the first lap in P14. In the following laps Sam closed in on the kart infront, Tom-O, and took the position comfortably at the elbow on the following lap, quickly pulling away from Tom.

Next target was #23. Sam appeared quicker but could not find a way through, giving Tom behind the opportunity to catch back up to the back of them. Into the dog-leg Sam went for the inside line and got alongside, but #23 held his line for the exit. Sam was effectively “hung out to dry”, #23 pushed Sam out wide (quite legitimately) which allowed a cheeky Tom-O through to take them both! Tom then streaked away. Sam did eventually get past #23 but by this time Tom was too far ahead in 12th. So a reasonable result finishing in P13 out of 28, not quite fulfilling our top 10 ambitions. Pace was certainly good enough to be there but qualifying let us down.

Click here for a video of the whole JTKM final on Youtube

The day was an endurance due to the weather, the driver was under the weather (cold/flu), and the mechanic didn’t have the best of days either.

Top Novice Jack Hughes upheld DPRS honours at his first attempt

Well done to Jack Hughes our young DPRS novice. Passed his ARKS test on Saturday, first race on Sunday and won the novice trophy at his first time of trying.

Next race Kimbolton in Cambridgeshire for a third consecutive weekends racing.